This 21-year old's company's product WiLoop focuses on providing a series of free WiFi zones

Bengaluru-based, 21-year-old, Ashrith Govind’s tryst with technology began at the age of 10 when he created a portable power bank to charge his discman.Shashwati Shankar | ET Bureau | December 30, 2015, 08:55 IST

Bengaluru-based, 21-yearold, Ashrith Govind’s tryst with technology began at the age of 10 when he created a portable power bank to charge his discman. Eleven years later, after dropping out of college, he launched WiLoop, a product that focuses on providing a series of free WiFi zones.

“Ever since I was 10-years old, when I got my first computer, I developed a connection with understanding machines and learned a lot from the internet,” says Govind, “I first used a 9 volt battery and a Rs 50 transistor to design a portable power bank to charge my devices.”

As he grew older, his love for technology continued to grow. When he was 12, after school hours, he would spend time on an online community forum he created called Hacker Source, where over 6,000 active users discussed various vulnerabilities.

Noticing his deep affinity toward technology and entrepreneurship, his uncle roped him in towards his vision of creating a plug-and-play automated night club. All of 15, Govind noticed that the bartenders at his uncles night club were cheating and making a buck through unaccounted drinks.

In order to rectify this, he created an automated system integrated into Android tablets. The alcohol dispensing machine was programmed to dispense a specific amount of alcohol and was linked to a billing software Govind had designed.

While contemplating studying science, he opted for commerce and chose to work at his uncle’s lounge instead. He enrolled himself at Jain College, which was lenient with attendance and, every morning after a few college lectures, by 11:00 am he would be at the lounge brainstorming ideas. “I created an app — Bunkgenius.

Students could calculate their attendance and determine how many classes one could bunk,” says Govind. Once he had completed the 12th grade, he had programmed several apps and utilities. After taking up the BBM course at Jain College, due to poor attendance he was unable to sit for his exams and chose to drop out.

Between moonlighting as a DJ and bartender at his uncle’s lounge, Govind met Shirish Narsepalli while studying in college and together they set up Ping Cloud Automation. “Our aim was to explore opportunities with technology and design create cost-effective home automation.

In September 2014, we launched WiLoop as our product,” says Govind. WiLoop focuses on being a series of free WiFi zones. Their clients currently consist of local cafe’s and lounges, but they are gradually looking to tie up with retail chains and claim to receive at least one installation inquiry a day.